Couples are being encouraged to apply for marriage licenses early because of a database issue in Kansas.
According to a news release, those couples who need a marriage license in September should apply for them now.
Usually, the courts ask couples to allow two weeks from the time the application is filed for the license to be delivered.
A database the courts use to process licenses will be offline for a week in September, causing delays, according to a spokesman.
Courts use a database managed by the Office of Vital Statistics to record marriage license application data. The database will be offline from Sept. 8 through 13, and no data can be entered then.
Officials hope those who apply for a marriage license by Aug. 31 will have a license in hand by Sept. 7.
Applications that are submitted after Aug. 31 will be processed after Sept. 14, when the database comes back online, according to the spokesman. There is a three-day waiting period required by law, and courts begin processing the application after the waiting period ends.
Couples may apply for a marriage license throughout this period, but the applications cannot be processed while the Office of Vital Statistics database is offline, according to the spokesman.
The online marriage license application is accessible through the Kansas judicial branch website at www.kscourts.org/marriage.